Originally August Band was created for the purpose of the movie, Love of Siam, but they were so successful that they went on to release an album. In a way, the title of the album is to thank the movie as well as their fans for their support. This special Minialbum by August Band contains reworks (as well as original versions) of tracks from the Love of Siam OST.

The mini album opens with ยังอยู่ในใจ(Yung yoo nai jai). Starting with piano and childish vocals it builds up to a soft and simple rock track with two different vocalists and continues to build up with more and more different sounds until the grand ending- epic strings included. It’s a sweet song and very easy to listen to: pretty in its own way even if doesn’t stand out.

I adore the next track though. It is another version of the theme of Love of Siam, Gan lae Gun. ขอบคุณกันและกัน(Kob khun kun lae kun) is yet another version but the lyrics and feeling are completely different. I feel this version is so much more upbeat than the original, so much more hopeful. To quote mr.xiaogou “This tells the other love story in The Love of Siam: the love of friendship. It follows the rise of the August band in the movie, and how the band members come to terms with Mew’s love troubles and give him their support to move on with life.” Just like all the other versions though the song has such a beautiful feeling: expressive vocals and beautiful soft instrumentation coming together for something almost perfect. It’s a gorgeous song, which is relaxing to listen to but never boring, it’s just filled with so much emotion.

The third track คนธรรมดา(Khon tummada) is a more acoustic track. It’s got a very laid-back feeling. However the singers’ falsetto took me ages to get used to. Now I think it’s rather interesting. A bit hard to listen to for some reason though, so I don’t usually listen to this track.

Another favourite of mine next with a remix of Ticket- Ticket Night trip rmx. There is still that familiar rhythm and feeling to it; in many ways it is very similar, yet something definitely feels different about it. I think the arrangement is a bit different. And, much like the remix of Gan lae Gun although it like the original it still has that dark, melancholic feel there is a more prominent upbeat, hopeful feeling to it. Either way it’s still the same beautiful song that Ticket is.

The demo version of ขอบคุณกันและกัน(Kob khun kun lae kun) follows. I guess this is the track that August Band first recorded. There is definitely something raw about this track, it’s gan lae gun stripped of all it’s intricacies but what remains is still those sincere feelings and emotions that the song has. In the end it is just another beautiful arrangement of an almost perfect song (if you cannot yet tell I really really love gan lae gun XD).

Lastly there is Silent Night randomly stuck at the end (which is lovely from a foreigners point of view to hear a traditional song in another language, as well as hear it sung so beautifully with some equally beautiful calming piano backing…) before the instrumental for ยังอยู่ในใจ(Yung yoo nai jai)

Overall rating: 7.5/8 (Excellent)
Favourite tracks: ขอบคุณกันและกัน, Ticket Night trip rmx, ขอบคุณกันและกัน(demo)

This is a lovely mini album and a good follow up to the Love of Siam OST. Yes, mainly it is just reworks of the Love of Siam OST and it does worry me that the other two new tracks don’t inspire me (because then when I listen to their album that followed this will it be any good?) but whatever. This is good to listen to; even those tracks that aren’t as good are still nice and easy to listen to…apart from maybe คนธรรมดา where the falsetto can be a bit much.

It’s as hard for me to write about the Love of Siam OST as it would be me trying to write about the film itself- both are amazing in so many ways. For the OST each song has a very special meaning relating to the film, and listening to it always captures brief memories of parts of the film which just makes it have even greater impact on me. I’ve had the OST on repeat for days now and I can’t get sick of it, and in fact the more I listen the more I fall in love with this. It is also well worth checking out the lyrics to a few of the songs, as  they futher illustrate how closely the songs link to the film and all the lyrics are beautifully written.

The OST opens with Gan Lae Gun (Radio Edit)- the first version of the main, heartbreaking, theme of the movie. Starting with deep strings and piano, the quiet reserved vocals come in giving the song a romantic, but bittersweet feeling. Beautiful piano continues to dominate the instrumentation, complementing the gorgeous and emotional vocals. Around the second chorus the song builds up, feeling more hopeful and giving it a stronger atmosphere. Synth comes in, as so do the strings. The song has a beautiful atmosphere, the fast synth giving a more upbeat feeling even if the deep vocals and underlying piano still project a bittersweet feeling. The vocalist is really good, his voice is really powerful and I really love his adlibbing. He shows it off especially well during the bridge. Overall the song is calming and filled with emotion. A gorgoeus start to the album.

The unique Ticket follows up next, fitting in nicely after Gan Lae Gun. I love this song, it’s dark and meloncholic- a song that can be applied to Tong and Mews relationship, as it talks about forbidden love and a “ticket thats not for me”. It could also be applied  to June (who wants a ticket to the US); to Tong’s mom (who wants a ticket to happiness) etc. A very symbolic song to the movie, and a beautiful one too. Piano and Synth start the song, as well as the vocals which are dark and emotional. The song builds up, getting a very strong beat with contrasting light, airy synth that combine to give the song a very interesting feel- like travelling, getting somewhere- the vocals filled with the same sort of longing to get somewhere. Yet at the same time not getting anywhere at all. Much like Mew and Tong accept the fact they can’t get anywhere, this song projects the same feeling of accepting that although the vocalist wants something, he has already acccepted he cannot have it. Synth dominates the song, compared to alot of the more accoustic sounds on the album, and give the song an amazing feeling.  Overall it’s another amazing track.

The next track Roo suek barng mhai (Live) I didn’t like at all, at first but after watching the film again I realised that this too is another outstanding track. What I didn’t like at first about the track was the tone the vocalist’s voice takes on, and the song sounded a bit awkward. However, only the opening is a bit awkward before the sound builds up and becomes an upbeat, romantic song reflecting Mew’s awakening emotions. It’s a lovely song.

The gorgeous Pieng Tier follows. Starting with a very sweet piano part, the vocalist comes in and his voice is so beautiful- filled with pure, romantic emotion. The song has such a beautiful, sweet feeling to it. Quietly it builds up, introducing more instruments even as the piano dominates, and still containing the same touching emotion. The song has such a dramatic feeling, the vocalist really acting out the songs emotions. The soft instrumentation, with the gentle drums and sweet piano is also wonderful. I really love the bridge too, the vocalists voice takes on an amazing tone. His voice has an almost husky tone to it, a sort of raw quality about it.  For some reason this song makes me want to cry- it’s romantic yet with a bittersweet edge. Overall It’s absolutley stunning, a very powerful and moving song.

The next version of Gan Lae Gun follows, the accoustic version  that Mew sings to Tong at the garden party. This song is incredibly bittersweet. Listening always makes me thinks of Mews hopeful confession, him smiling as he sings just  for Tong: yet at the same time you know that in the end they won’t end up together- making this song painfully beautiful. After a similiar feeling with Pieng Tier, by this point the OST has made me really emotional. Dark piano opens the song, becoming brighter before the vocalist comes in, still presenting a powerful amount of emotion in his voice, acting out the song.  His voice has a husky tone to it, but it’s still so beautiful. I really love his voice, and the way he sings this song is heartbreaking- he really puts everything into the song. I especially love what he does at the end, really over emphasing it and his falsetto adlibbing. Like the vocalist of Pieng Tier, his voice has a raw and emotional quality about it that makes it absolutly perfect. The intrumentation builds up too with soft drums and guitar coming in. There’s a stunning saxaphone solo to. The instrumentation is really pretty and this song is very relaxing. So beautiful.

Track 6 is the haunting and very meloncholic  Kuen aun pen niran (Endless Night). The song that playes when Mew and Tong realized that destiny forbid them from being together, and both struggle to come to terms with it. Soft humming over dark piano begin the song, before the vocalist comes in properly. His voice is really what makes the song, it’s a childish sort of voice but like all the other vocalist- he puts everything into the song giving it such a powerful feeling. Kuen aun pen niran has a very dark feeling at times, yet sometimes it becomes lighter and more hopeful. This emotion is really what makes it such a haunting song. It’s a soft, simple sounding song yet the overall feeling is incredibly powerful and absolutly beautifull.

The final version of the main theme is Gun lae gun (Live). This song has the same feeling as the accoustic version, that same bittersweet. Yet there’s something hopeful about this, because by this point Mew and Tong have already accepted their feelings, and the fact they can never be realized. Now, Mew just wants to sing for him and tell him he loves him one last time.  Again a light piano starts the song before the vocals come in, but this version definitly presents a different feeling  and when the song builds up, you can hear the different instrumentation. This is basically the same beautiful, emotional song just in a different format. I really like the ending to this one, again the vocalist really shows off his voice and his adlibbing is breathtaking.

Track 8 is Roo suek barng mhai (Original Mix) which is just as good as the live, although again it took time to grow on me.

The last vocal track is a Demo version of Pieng Ter. It’s much the same as the original, just with a more raw feeling- less polished. The vocals also stand out quite a bit, they don’t merge well with the instrumentation. It’s still really pretty, because I’m weak when it comes to this song.  And the vocalist still has an amazing voice.

The OST finishes off with the instrumental version of Ticket- and then it’s over.

Overall Rating: 1209347837834/10/10 (AWESOMENESS)
Favourite Songs: All of them ^^

This OST is really beautiful. Listening to it is so calming. Even if you’ve not watched the film, each song is so beautiful, calming and very expressive. The vocalists really have amazing voics, and the instrumentation is soft and often utilises something unique- like the saxaphone. The OST has such a beautiful feeling to it- and if you’ve watched the film it’s even better, as each song captures memories of the film, and the emotions of the characters. It makes it slightly sad to listen to at times, but yet still makes it even more intensely beautiful.  This OST  is incredible and I cannot reccomend it, and the film for that matter, enough.